Friday
Kaduna to revive guidance, counselling unit in public schools
The Kaduna State Government said on Friday that it would revive guidance and counselling unit in public Secondary Schools in the state. Hajiya Imma Ahmad, Director-General, Kaduna State School Quality Assurance Authority, made this known at the close of a five-day training for secondary school teachers in Kaduna. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the training was organised by the state Ministry of Education in collaboration with the Africa Federation of Teaching Regulatory Authority (AFTRA). Ahmad said that the counselling manual had been developed as part of efforts to ensure that every school has a functional guidance and counselling unit. “Our teachers these days just teach and leave the classroom with no form of counselling to improve the morals of the students or guide the...
Edo election: Governor Obaseki declares Friday work-free
Ahead of Saturday’s gubernatorial election in Edo State, the government has declared Friday, September 18, 2020, as a work-free day. This was contained in a statement titled ‘Edo 2020: Obaseki declares Friday work-free day’ on Thursday. The statement noted that the declaration of a work-free day was to enable workers in the State Public Service to travel to their respective Constituencies to exercise their franchise. It quoted the Edo State Head of Service, through the Permanent Secretary, Mrs. Aziegbemhin P.E, as saying, “Sequel to the forthcoming Edo State gubernatorial election scheduled to hold on Saturday September 19, 2020, Mr. Governor, Godwin Obaseki, has approved Friday 18th September 2020 as a work-free day to enable workers in the State Public Service travel to their respective ...
Wale Babalakin resigns as UNILAG’s council chairman
Dr Babawale Babalakin has resigned his position as chairman of the University of Lagos, UNILAG, governing council chairman. Following what looked like an irreconcilable difference between the now-former council chairman and the Academic Staff Union of University, UNILAG chapter, Babalakin has finally tendered his resignation. The Federal Government, in August, wielded the big axe by asking the Wale Babalakin-led Governing Council of the University of Lagos, UNILAG, and the embattled Vice-Chancellor, Prof Toyin Ogundipe, to stay away pending the outcome of a probe into happenings in the school. The government also asked the Senate of the university to appoint an Acting VC for the institution. The Federal Ministry of Education spokesman, Ben Goong, made this known in a press statement on Fri...
Gianfranco Zola hails Victor Osimhen’s ‘important qualities’ ahead Parma vs Napoli
Getty Images Gianfranco Zola is in awe of Victor Osimhen’s talent, suggesting that the Nigerian attacking ace has important qualities with which he can help Napoli to succeed this new season. Napoli will kick-start their 2020/21 Serie A campaign against AC Parma at the Ennio Tardini Stadium on Sunday, September 20, and Zola believes Osimhen can continue his fine pre-season form. The Super Eagles striker since joining Napoli earlier this summer from Lille for a fee of 70 million euros has scored six goals – two hat-tricks, in three pre-season games. Zola, ex-Napoli and Parma striker told Radio Kiss Kiss: “Napoli with Gattuso has found equilibrium. it will be an open game. Napoli has grown a lot with Gattuso. “He will be among the protagonists if Osimhen also enters immediately, he has impor...
NCDC reports 160 new virus infections, two deaths
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has reported 160 new infections of COVID-19 in the country, bringing the nation’s confirmed cases to 56,177. The NCDC made this known on its official twitter handle on Saturday. Newsmen report that the 160 new infections were down slightly from 188 recorded on Friday in the country. The agency said that in the last 24 hours, two people died from the virus, bringing the death toll nationwide to 1,078. The NCDC stated that the number of recovered patients increased by 90, bringing total number of discharged cases to 44,088. “As of Sept. 12, 2020, 160 new confirmed cases and two deaths were recorded in Nigeria. “Till date, 56,177 cases have been confirmed, 44,088 cases discharged and 1,078 deaths recorded in 36 states and the Federal Capital Terri...
Governor Obaseki: Speculation about Edo PDP chairman’s resignation is fake news
Special Adviser to Edo State Governor on Media and Communication Strategy, Mr. Crusoe Osagie, has said that the rumoured resignation of the Chairman of the Edo State chapter of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Tony Aziegbemi, is fake news and a hoax. Osagie, who spoke to journalists in Benin City, the Edo State capital, on Friday, described the rumour as “the fabrication of members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in their last minute and desperate efforts to save an unpopular candidate, Osagie Ize-Iyamu, from quitting the gubernatorial race which the party is set to lose.” According to the governor’s spokesman, “With just a week to the September 19 election, and worried by the lack of acceptance of its candidate, the APC has resorted to desperate and unconventional campaign tacti...
Fuel subsidy removal: Nigerian government to distribute 2, 000 buses to mitigate effects on transportation
The Federal Government has concluded plans to distribute 2, 000 buses to cushion the effects of transportation on Nigerians, especially those living in rural dwellers. Newsmen report that Dr George Akume, Minister of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, made this known on Friday at the interactive he had with stakeholders of cooperative societies in Nigeria at his office in Abuja. Akume explained that the initiative was a collaboration between his ministry, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and other agencies in the government. He said the ministry took the decision to pass through the cooperative bodies to ensure the materialisation of the project, rather than giving out loans to individuals, which might delay quick execution of the project. “Basically we do recog...
Court jails 21-year-old for N37.6 million fraud
The Lagos State Special Offences Court in Ikeja on Friday sentenced 21-year-old Paul Adesanya to 21 years’ imprisonment for defrauding an American-based woman, Mrs Oluwatoyin Akinwole, of the sum of N36.7m. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission also told Justice Mojisola Dada that Adesanya posted Akinwole’s nude pictures on the social media, and thereafter reported that she committed suicide by jumping over the Third Mainland Bridge, Lagos in 2017. The prosecuting counsel for the EFCC, Samuel Daji, said Adesanya acted contrary to sections 1(1) and 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud Act; as well as sections 278 and 285 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State. In her judgment on Friday, Justice Dada convicted Adesanya of the three counts filed against him by the EFCC. The judge said she was sat...
Leeds United confirm one-year contract extension for Marcelo Bielsa
Leeds confirmed that manager Marcelo Bielsa signed a one-year deal on Friday ahead of the club’s first Premier League game for 16 years. “Leeds United are pleased to confirm Marcelo Bielsa has signed a new one-year deal with the club to remain as head coach for the 2020/21 season,” Leeds said in a statement. After finally leading Leeds back into the top-flight, Bielsa’s side face the daunting task of beginning their Premier League campaign away to champions Liverpool on Saturday. The Argentine has a history of walking out early in the campaign after leaving Marseille just one game into the 2015/16 season and lasted just two days in charge of Lazio a year later. However, he eased Leeds fans’ fears on Thursday by signalling his intention to remain at Elland Road for another season. “I will b...
Six killed in Burundi gun attack, weeks after similar incident
Unidentified attackers shot and killed six people in northern Burundi, an official said on Friday, weeks after a similar attack was reported in a southern province. The group launched the attack in Kayanza province on Thursday night from the Kibira forest, the regional governor said, and fled to the same area after the attack. “They arrived at a small centre … killed six people including two kids studying in primary school II and V,” Remy Cishahayo, army colonel and governor of Kayanza province, said on state-owned National Radio Television of Burundi. The forest in the past has served as cover for the ruling CNDDFDD – The National Council for the Defence of Democracy, Forces for the Defence of Democracy party – during its rebellion. Two people were wounded and were receiving treatment, wh...
INEC: Fire incident won’t affect Ondo election
Ahead of the October 10 gubernatorial election in Ondo State, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), on Friday in Abuja said despite the fire incident that destroyed Card Readers meant for the election, the governorship poll will still go ahead as planned. The commission has also said it is not contemplating postponing the September 19 Edo election. INEC National Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, stated this in Abuja during an interactive session with stakeholders and Civil Society Organizations, convened by the National Peace Committee. He said the 5100 Card Readers programmed for use for the election were razed in the inferno that on Thursday night, adding that investigation is on to unravel the cause of the fire. Yakubu said: “we received the sad news last night of fire inc...
Virus-hit club loses CAS appeal against UCL ouster
Slovan Bratislava lost its appeal Friday against exclusion from the Champions League by UEFA after players tested positive for COVID-19 in pre-game checks. The Court of Arbitration for Sport upheld UEFA’s ruling last week that ordered the Slovakian champion to forfeit a first qualifying round game in the Faeroe Islands without playing. Public authorities in the Faeroe Islands put two different squads of Slovan’s players into quarantine when a virus infection in each group was reported in tests required by UEFA. The game was postponed twice, then UEFA’s appeal panel awarded Faeroes champion KI Klaksvik a 3-0 win to advance to the next round. Slovan later said all 35 players tested negative on returning to Slovakia. Friday’s urgent ruling from a CAS judge – without yet specifying reasons – w...
